Unleashing BARTEC’s Leadership Potential

The aim of the programs is, among other things, to increase the efficiency and speed of the training process for prospective managers.” At BARTEC, employees can develop further and grow into leadership roles. Our goal is to fill open positions predominantly from within our own ranks. This strengthens internal networking and cooperation in the spirit of ONE BARTEC,” Sonja Glaser-Reuss further explains. Therefore, the programs should be staffed across groups right from the outset. The leadership programs support the participating managers in learning competencies for their (future) roles – with a focus on interaction and practical exercises in which they can directly put what they have learned into practice. During the course of the program, participants are engaged in constant exchange, and reflect together on their leadership behavior. In this way, cooperation between managers and synergy effects between departments and business units are enhanced, not only during the program but also in the future. With the help of a wide variety of methods, participants are empowered to acquire knowledge sustainably and to practice individual activities. That means various types of tasks and exercise formats, such as podcasts, videos, literature and applications, are included in the workflow. Individual coaching sessions are also available.

The programs also provide valuable knowledge from the field of psychology. For example, one of the first modules dealt with different personality types, how to recognize them and what is important in the cooperation and leadership of these different types. “In the training, I learned how to deal with different personality types and how to communicate in a more goal-oriented way,” reports participant Alex Tusinean, Production Control Dispatcher at BARTEC GmbH in Bad Mergentheim. Julia Blanasch, Accountant at BARTEC GmbH in Bad Mergentheim adds: “Thanks to the basic leadership knowledge, I can now react better to the needs of colleagues. The training strengthens understanding and tolerance towards other people.” That’s because modern leadership emphasizes people and knowledge of human nature – there are no mathematical formulas or universal rules to guide you in this regard. So the programs are all about further promoting this modern understanding of leadership.

After the first two modules, enthusiasm and motivation are already high: “I have learned numerous new leadership techniques and am looking forward to using them,” says Christian Ernst from BARTEC Consult GmbH. In the initial modules, the participants were familiarized with different types of motivation, among other things to better assess the motivations for behavior in the team. Sonja Glaser-Reuss: “BARTEC offers an impressive leadership potential internally, which is strengthened by the trainings.” The networking effect is already working well: In addition to the technical content, I appreciate the fact that we are a committed, open group.

We benefit from this not only during the seminars but also beyond, because the newly acquired network of colleagues from the most diverse areas enables us to support each other in the best possible way,” continues Christian Ernst. Participant Henning Benecke, Service technician at BARTEC Benke, also recognizes the benefits of the program in relation to customer communication: “I am much more self-confident and prepared for discussions – not only with colleagues, but also with customers. Knowledge of human nature plays a big role for me and my future management tasks.”

In the meantime, not only modules on self- and external perception have been completed, but also the basics on the topic of leadership and its corresponding communication. This includes, among other things, various communication strategies for the participants’ own areas of responsibility as well as the effect of communication in the context of leading teams and employees. Participants also learn how to deal with challenges, changes and conflicts. This is because change and conflict management are decisive factors when dealing with different team constellations and needs in a leadership role. Building on the basis of the leadership theory, the participants are already putting into practice what they have learned – by moving into new positions or on the job in their business units and teams. They can additionally deepen their skills and work on personal challenges by participating in individual coaching sessions. The global Human Resources team is looking forward to continuing the exchange and implementing further modules.

All programmes pursue the same goals: to develop a common understanding of leadership and to network employees from different departments, different locations and several countries. “Joining from Norway, Belgium, France, Spain and various locations within Germany, the participants have already been able to gain many cultural impressions and make connections within the BARTEC network,” explains Sonja Glaser-Reuss, Head of Group HR. Bringing together different departments has shown us that intercultural differences can be challenging, but are above all an opportunity. The common element: a shared understanding of leadership among the participants. More precisely: a common leadership culture under the sign of ONE BARTEC. Another benefit of the programmes: young talents exchange ideas with experienced managers – and vice versa. “We deliberately chose this set-up so that different experiences and perspectives meet. We encourage dialog – fresh perspectives and different levels of knowledge enrich the modules and thus also the leadership culture at BARTEC,” explains Sonja Glaser-Reuss.

We asked the participants, which of the modules has added the most value for them so far and what they have been able to implement from what they have learned. See their answers and insights below.

''I have already been able to apply a lot of what we have learned in the programme. In the two previous modules, I have gained a comprehensive insight into the areas of self-perception, perception of others, communication and leadership. I found communication particularly interesting as it is an essential part ofeveryday life – inside and outside work.” 

Anna Grapulin, Business Data Analyst and PMO Team Lead, Slovenia

''The mixed team of participants quickly found their way together – even though different hierarchical levels and experiences meet here. This is not least due to our coach Michael Lorenz. With this confidence right from the start, the peer learning with real live examples was very profitable. I learned that it helps to get different opinions from different people, whether on challenges or general ideas for improvement.” 

 Josef Kraus, Product Line Manager, Trace Moisture and HCDT Measurement, Germany

''Besides the variety of new insights, I was able to take away from the different modules for my work as a leader, the communication and trust that was built within the leadership group ensured a new flow of communication from the first module on. This enabled me to act quickly in situations where it was needed.” 

Jan Arild Mørk, Engineering Director, Norway

''All the modules were very helpful: in the first module, I was able to learn a lot about people’s behavior and different personalities thanks to the methods we learned. This helped me, for example, to understand my team members more clearly and to enable them to become even better. The second module on communication showed me how to create a basis for communication in the team.”

Sonika Mann, Team Lead Proposals for India, Middle East and the Saudi Arabia Region

''For me, the second module on communication and leadership was very helpful. Many of the communication aspects we learned can be directly applied to my future work. Understanding what makes different personalities and performances work helps to motivate people.”

Mars Ma, Regional Sales Manager/BU Manager – ESS/AMS/EM, China

''In the two modules so far, I have been able to learn a lot about personality types and why people develop certain patterns of behavior based on their character. This enables me as a manager to focus on understanding and communicating better. I am already looking forward to the next module with exciting content.”

Per-Erik Nielsen, Global Product Line Manager Connectivity & IIoT, Norway

Through the Executive Leadership Programme I have learned a lot of things I can integrate into my daily work. In the very first session, we talked about personal perception and that of the other participants. I found that very helpful in being able to put myself in the shoes of others and achieve common goals. A big part of this is also the communication, which facilitates many aspects in the team and ensures trust among each other.”

Roel van der Jagt, Deputy Director, Netherlands

''At the beginning of the programme, I was new at BARTEC. So it was important and valuable for me to get to know both the leadership culture and many of the managers here. So far, the module on the agile way of working was one of the most useful because it was a great summary of how the digital solutions industry works. Going from ideation to prototyping and making meaningful progress in small steps can be applied to pretty much anything.”

Andrej Sonkin, Senior Vice President Enterprise Mobility, Germany